"There are other Pokemon that aren't very well liked." Ruby stated. The Popplio looked at her. "There was a poll taken recently on the most well liked Pokémon. Simisear was dead last."
"Who was first?"
"Greninja."
"Was Popplio in it?"
"Uh... Alola Pokemon weren't included." Popplio frowned.
"How is that supposed to make me feel better then?"
"Look, I'm trying here!" Ruby sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Look Popplio-"
"Pippi." The Popplio inturupted.
"Huh?"
"My name is Pippi." Popplio sighed. "It's the name my trainer gave me. It's the only name I've ever really known."
"Right, Pippi. Despite what you may think, not everyone hates Popplio."
"Yeah right. I look like a Mr. Mime got it on with and Oshawott." Pippi sighed.
"...Tell me about your trainer." Pippi gave her a look. "If you want to, that is."
"She left me out there to fend for myself because she thought I wasn't "Performer material" or something like that."
"Performer material?"
"I like to dance." Pippi answered. "But I also like to battle. But she kept telling me that I can't be a battler."
"You sound like you would be more suited to contests then performances." Pippi looked down. "You OK?"
"The day my trainer picked me was the happiest day of my life." She sighed. "I should have known it was too good to be true." Ruby felt bad for the poor Pokémon.
Ash had taken the liberty of pulling Bonnie and Squishy away from a group of preschoolers that seemed hellbent on tickling Squishy, something that Squishy was extremely grateful for. Now Ash and Greninja stood in a clearing just inside the forest, so as not to attract a crowd. Just across from them were Bonnie and Squishy, who was in his 10% form. Serena was acting as referee while N stood off to the side, observing.
"Alright!" Serena announced. "Battle begin!"
"Use Dragon Pulse!" Bonnie called. Squishy opened his mouth and fired a blast of draconic energy at Greninja.
"Dodge and use Water Shuriken." Greninja leapt over the Dragon Pulse and threw two Shuriken at Squishy.
"Extreme Speed!" Squishy bolted toward Greninja, dodging the Shuriken in the process.
"Ariel Ace!" Just as Squishy reached Greninja, the Ninja Pokémon's foot turned as Greninja kicked Squishy in the jaw, sending it sprawling.
"Incredible." N spoke. "Even before Greninja has transformed I can already sense the powerful bond between him and Ash."
"They've been through a lot together." Serena responded, watching Greninja and Squishy exchange a respective Cut and Extreme Speed. "They've taken their bond to its' absolute limit." N nodded.
"Water Shuriken!"
"Dragon Pulse!" The two attacks collided, creating a cloud of smoke. Ash smiled as the smoke cleared.
"Alright Greninja, let's take this to the next level!" Ash spoke as his and Greninja's movements began to synchronize. Suddenly however, Squishy perked up at something. In a split second, Squishy had leapt from his position, a strange device landing where he was a second before and generating an energy field. "What's going on!?" Ash questioned, cancelling the transformation. Squishy looked up towards a hill, catching sight of woman with shoulder length black hair and cold gray eyes. She had an annoyed look on her face.
"Well, you're more attentive then the blue one, I'll give you that."
"Who the hell are you!?" Bonnie angrily demanded. "Some kind of Team Rocket wannabe!?" The woman scoffed.
"Team Rocket? Please. The name's Zana, and I'll be taking that Zygarde of yours."
"Over my dead body!"
"That can be arranged." Zana said with a cold smirk. Ash stepped forward.
"Alright Zana, I don't know what you want with Squishy, but if you fuck with my High Knights, you fuck with me!"
"Especially your precious daughter?" Ash's temper flared. "Listen, your highness." She spoke in a mocking tone. "My boss wants both Zygarde Cores."
"For what purpose!?"
"As if I would tell you people. Now stand back or you all get hurt." She looked at Bonnie. "Especially you blondie." It was at this point that Squishy stepped forward, glaring at the woman.
"I am Zygarde." He spoke in a strangely calm voice. "Bringer of Order, and I shall not be a pawn, IN YOUR PLANS!" As Squishy roared the last part of his statement, he began growing an intense green, summoning even more cells. The Cells merged with his body, turning his canine 10% form into that of a massive green and black serpent. He roared angrily at the horrid woman in front of him. Zana just frowned.
"Fine, be that way." She said, pulling out four pokeballs. She opened them to reveal a Magnezone, Honchkrow, Rhyperior, and a Blaziken. With that she revealed a ring on her finger, bearing a keystone. "Now Blaziken, Mega Evolve!" The keystone responded to Blaziken's Mega Stone. Within moments the feathers on Blaziken's head had taken on a more wing like appearance, black markings had appeared on its' body, and ribbons of fire flowed from its' wrists. Both sides glared at each other, neither daring to move. After a moment, Squishy bolted forward, using Extreme Speed to slam into Honchkrow full force. "Dark Pulse!" Honchkrow reeled back and fired a dark beam of energy. Squishy responded by using Extreme Speed to zip into the air and out of the clearing. "Dammit, follow it!" Honchkrow and Magnezone flew after Squishy. Blaziken also made to follow. Leaping into the air, Blaziken's leg was suddenly grabbed, yanking the Blaze Pokémon painfully to the ground. Blaziken bolted to its' feet, glaring at Greninja. "Use Blaze Kick!" Blaziken's legs was surrounded with fire as it leapt at Greninja.
"Ariel Ace!" Ash called. Greninja managed to land a kick between Blaziken's eyes, sending it to the ground.
"Overheat!" Blaziken opened its mouth and released a powerful stream of fire at Greninja, who leapt into the air to dodge, landing near Ash.
"Fine." Ash stated. "You're not the only one who can play rough." With that Greninja was surrounded by a torrent of water. By the time the torrent had turned into a Water Shuriken, Blaziken had launched another, noticeably weaker, Overheat." Greninja ripped the Shuriken off of his back and held it in front of him, allowing the Overheat to strike it and turn it to steam. Zana ground her teeth.
"Rhyperior, Rock Wrecker!" Rhyperior launched two massive boulders from its hands at Ash and Greninja.
"Cut!" Summoning his knives, Greninja managed to cleave both rocks in half, sending chunks flying.
"Use Horn Drill!" Rhyperior's horn began spinning and glowing with energy. As the massive Pokémon. charged at Greninja, green vines suddenly emerged from the ground, causing Rhyperior to trip and cause the ground to shake from its' size. Ash looked over and saw that Serena had called out Delphox.
"Thanks" He said to the performer, who in turn nodded.
Magnezone looked around the trees, wildly confused. It was then that a nearby bush began to shake. Magnezone began charging Flash Cannon only for Honchkrow to poke his head out of the bushes, causing Magnezone to cancel the attack.
"What are you doing?" Magnezone questioned.
"Dude, check out these exotic berries I found!" Honchkrow exclaimed, holding out several berries. Magnezone gave him a look.
"Those are Oran Berries you idiot. You can find them literally anywhere in the world!" He exclaimed. "Why are you picking berries anyway!?"
"Isn't that what we're supposed to do?"
"No you idiot! We're supposed to catch Zygarde!"
"Ohhhh!" Honchkrow said. "...What's a Zygarde?" If Magnezone had hands he would have facepalmed.
"How did I get stuck with this idiot?" Magnezone asked Squishy, who just so happened to be slithering by.
"Beats me." Squishy said, continuing on his way. Magnezone sat for a moment, pondering. Then his eyes widened.
"Hey wait a minute!" He exclaimed, right before Squishy slammed into him with Extreme Speed.
Iris couldn't help but snicker as Georgia limped by, covered in bruises.
"Oh put a sock in it Dragon girl!" Georgia snapped. She suddenly froze as they all heard a loud sound come from the forest. After a moment, a giant green and black serpent crashed out of the forest, using Extreme Speed on a Magnezone. The group screamed and ducked as the two slammed into a building.
"What the hell is that thing!?" May screamed as she looked at the giant serpent.
"That's Squishy's fifty percent form!" Clemont exclaimed.
"Fifty Percent!?" Georgia exclaimed. Magnezone suddenly used Lock-on, before charging a Flash Cannon, while Squishy charged a Dragon Pulse. Magnezone fired first, only for Squishy to spin in mid-air, causing the Dragon Pulse to surround himself. When both attacks dissipated, Squishy bolted in with Extreme Speed, slamming into Magnezone once again.
Ruby opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by a loud crashing. She looked out the window in time to see Squishy bolt past in his 50% form.
"...I'll be right back." She told Pippi as she walked out the door.
"...That's what my trainer said, and we all know how that turned out."
Ruby walked out of the Pokémon Center just in time to see Squishy bolt back into the forest, several Paladins following to find out what the commotion was. Shrugging her shoulders, Ruby walked into the forest, Mawile and Froslass behind her.
"This violence is unnecessary." N stated as he watched Greninja and Blaziken lock respective Ariel Aces.
"You call it unnecessary, I call it self defence!" Bonnie called as her Altaria and Serena's Delphox were in a heated battle with Zana's Rhyperior. "...I hope Squishy's doing Ok though." Right after she said that there was a loud bang from the forest, and an unconscious Honchkrow flew into the clearing, slamming into a tree. Zana growled and recalled the Big Boss Pokemon.
Ruby walked through the trees, her Pokemon behind her. She stopped just outside a clearing, where her parents and Bonnie were in battle with some black hair. There was also a man with long green hair. Just as Ruby was about to step into the clearing, she noticed something. Parked nearby was a large airship. Looking between the ongoing battle and the airship, Ruby shrugged and walked toward the airship with Mawile and Froslass in tow.
"Mystical Fire!"
"Moonblast!" The attacks struck Rhyperior in the chest, sending it into a tree and knocking it out. Zana snarled and recalled Rhyperior.
"Useless Pokémon!" She snapped. She then glared at the people in front of her, watching as Greninja struck Blaziken with Water Shuriken.
She was not going to fail this mission, no matter how extreme she had to get.
Inside of a dark room stood several adults in dark uniforms, chatting amongst each other. Or at least, they were, until the door slid open suddenly.
"Ice Shard!" Before the group could react, they were all struck in the dace with flying shards of ice, knocking them all out. Ruby and her Pokemon stepped into the room, being followed by a Weavile and a nervous looking Rattata.
"Alright, he's in there." Weavile said, pointing to a nearby door, before gesturing to Rattata to come with him. Ruby made her way to the door, about to go in.
"What's going on in here?" A new voice asked. Everyone already in the room froze as a new man stepped in. He looked at Ruby for a second, before he burst out laughing. "Oh this is rich! Who would have thought that by the end of the day, I would be in the same room as a princess!" He stopped laughing suddenly, his expression turning serious. "Who would have thought said princess would be the daughter of the man who destroyed Team Flare." Ruby cocked an eyebrow at the man.
"And you are?"
I am Xerosic!" The man announced. "Former head scientist of Team Flare! That is, before your father and that traitor Alain , as well as those pesky Zygarde ruined everything." Ruby gave him a look. "Oh yes, I know exactly who you are, Princess Ruby Ketchum! I see that you plan on rescuing that blue core in there." He glared at her. "Those Zygarde Cores have been a huge pain, but I'm afraid I cannot let you take them!" With that he released a Crobat and Malamar from their Pokeballs. "I would suggest you leave now." In response, Froslass and Mawile leapt in front of Ruby, staring the other Pokemon down. "So be it. Psycho Cut!" Malamar sent a blade of Psychic energy flying at Froslass.
"Ice Shard!" Froslass sent several shards of ice forward, connecting with the attack and causing an explosion. "Thunder Fang!" Mawile charged forward, her maw crackling with electricity. She bit down on Malamar's arm, shocking the Overturning Pokémon with massive bolts of electricity. Xerosic frowned as Malamar reeled back.
"I will Admit to your strength, but that does not mean I intend to surrender. With my scientific knowledge ... Whatever Zana has, and the will of our organizations great leader, the future of this world will be set." Ruby frowned.
"You act like you're going to win, so you highly underestimate the power of the Glacies Region fatass!"
"...I'm not fat! Anyway, the Glacies Region is nothing more than a front led by a man with a Greninja. You have no true power in this world!"
"That's where you're wrong!" Ruby said, clenching her fist. Mawile blinked. Either she was going crazy, or Froslass was starting to mimic Ruby's movements. "We keep the Seven Regions, the whole world in a stable condition. Without us this world would be in a constant state of disrepair!"
"Bah!" Xerosic scoffed. "All a fabricated front!"
"If that's what you believe then I'll have to knock the sense into you!" Suddenly, to the shock of everyone in the room, a vail of snow erupted around Froslass. The only thing that could be clearly seen inside the vail was a pair of glowing red eyes.